OPay, the Opera-backed Nigerian fintech and super app startup, laid off approximately 70% of its workforce in early May 2020. This drastic reduction came as the company faced severe challenges, including a ban on commercial motorcycles ("Okada ban") in Lagos that crippled its popular ORide service, compounded by the economic pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic. The layoffs affected both local and Chinese employees, with some Chinese staff reportedly stranded in Africa due to travel restrictions. Having raised $170 million and aggressively expanded into multiple verticals like ride-hailing, food delivery, and digital payments throughout 2019, OPay was forced to pause most of its programs and scale back its ambitious super app plans significantly.
